With all the talk about Teddy Bridgewater and Jadeveon Clowney, there’s another name that has been overlooked in the discussion of potential first overall draft picks.
As Peter King of TheMMQB.com recently reported, at least two teams would have Oregon’s Marcus Mariota higher on their boards than Bridgewater, if Mariota opts to leave school after the current season.
For his part, Mariota is mum.
“My family and I have decided to hold off on these conversations until after the season,” Mariota told 750 The Game in Portland, via Rotoworld.com. “We’re obviously going to put the pros and cons together, and we’re going to do what’s best for the family. At the same time, my education is important. . . . I love Oregon. I love the community. We’ll decide when the time is right.”
It’s the prudent move for Mariota. Neither he nor his team benefit from any talk about leaving for the NFL, until he’s ready to say he’s staying or leaving for 2014.
If Mariota believes he’ll be one of the top picks in the draft, there’s no reason to continue to play football for free.